A small nimble figured scaled the building side across from her target while carefully avoiding light spots and widows as she ascended to the third floor. It was chilly out and her thin fingers were numb causing her grip to become loose against the metal and cheap bricks of the building but balconies and various windows and ledges aided her as she anchored herself in a comfortable position. The brisk wind caused her nose to turn pink as her mask had slipped revealing her young but intense features. She gently tugged it back into place covering everything but her large dark eyes before she double checked her weapon; a glock 19 stolen from a lazy and over confident officer during her last trip to the police station as a 'part-time news reporter' by the name 'Annie Randel'.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8ycL2zNor
Across the alley and a floor below, she watched as a small number of men entered the 5th apartment from her perch. Glancing at her dainty black watch she mumbled to herself reading the faintly glowing face. "Late..." She waited until the large, seemingly wealthy, man had stepped up to the little apartment window. She help the glock with both hands to keep it steady as she aimed at his round face. He tapped his cigar on the glass twice and on a third time a gunshot resonated over the jazz music and general loudness of the city. Within seconds the body fell: a few seconds more and she would be seen.
Flipping herself onto the roof, she made haste as she jumped onto a neighboring bakery roof. She noted the time on her watch 'Time of death: 10:52pm' She shook her head and ran quickly calculating her time as sirens started to blare in the distance. '6 minutes til a police car is within a few blocks from here. 14 til they reach the apartment. Just a bit more than that before someone starts to search for the attacker and roughly 30 minutes before the vicinity is closed off.' She estimated.
Despite these numbers she wasn't concerned, this was just routine. The young girl knew where to go and how to get there safely in the time she estimated, she wasn't even stressed by the still wet blood upon her hands; figuratively of course, she knew better than to get dirty on the job.
She dropped onto a low roof, then a garbage can, and finally the asphalt. She found herself on a filthy side street filled with abandoned trash and hurried to a dented black door guarded by yogurt; the stray cat that the bar often feeds. The dirty cream colored cat growls lightly as the girl approached but backed off quickly, the girl was no stranger there. She knocked and mumbled a short phrase into the crack before the door snapped open revealing a scrawny boy. The odor of fermentation and sweat filled the back room of a slum-side bar; the musky air did nothing to spare your lungs. The girl paid no mind to the door stop boy as she shed her black clothing and changed into a tank top with a thick light blue hoodie tucking her gun into the pocket and her other belongings into an awaiting duffle bag.
"Thanks." She muttered to the boy and tossed him a wad of dollars that summed about 15 before ducking into the main room.
There was smoke heavy in the air and a stripper slung herself across a stage dramatically as the girl passed through the throng of men. "Well if it isn't Little Red herself..." A low, honeyed voiced man spoke from behind her.
"Hmmm... Where else would you find me?" She forced a laugh as she turned to meet a strongly built man. He stood with an air of arrogance and authority that could intimidate anyone, despite his youth. His left eyebrow was obstructed by a scar that ran into his tousled hair, ending just above his dark eyes. These features, well occluded by the heavy smoke streams, were difficult to make out, though she could immediately identify him.
"You and I both know this place isn't your style. Unless of course, you were up to your... métier." He smirked
"Seeing as you are still in the dark on the subject, my metier is none of your business, Mr. Clade." The young girl answers shortly with a defiant tone. She turned to walk away hopping her small frame would easily disappear in the smoke and dancers, but the man kept up.
"Oh, but i enjoy being in your business, helps me watch out for you, Red." He speaks in a joking tone making the girl feel all the more insulted. She ducks out into the street pushing the door against him before taking the sidewalk. She starts to pull out a set of headphones but Mr. Cade's hand stops her.
"Amelia." He looks at her with a tinge of sadness in his grey eyes that seem to lack their own coloration much like a diamond: reflecting color without pigmentation of its' own
The girl turns and swats his hand away hardly retaining her poise as she lifts her chin and takes a step back, attempting to regulate her breathing. "Mr. Cade, i do believe you should keep yourself in check should you like to keep your reputation as a gentleman. As i have made clear to you before, that is not the name i go by."
Mr. Cade's eyes turn angry, "And Mr. Cade , as i have made clear before, is not the name i wish you to call me." Amelia glares at the man and he continues in her silence. "Call me Collin."
Amelia moves around Collin who had rudely stood in front of her, intentionally blocking her path. "Goodnight, Mr. Cade."
"I'll see you soon, Amelia." Collin added with a scoff. The girl's shoulders become ridged and she let's out an angry sigh as she hurried away from him.
Making her way out of the slum side of town she began to jog to her apartment; hardly a step up from the bar she had just paid visit to. Using her key she slipped in quietly, the smell of marijuana filled the hall no doubt coming from Ronnie's Bedroom and music, of Nick's personal taste, pulsed throughout the apartment. Amelia hurried towards the stairs hoping to avoid confrontation by one of her many roommates.
"You get the job done, Red?" A young and rough voice called from the living room and Amelia dropped her head and walked into the room.
"Yeah, Nick, don't I always?" She said in a taut yet casual tone as she lifted her head just enough to see who all was about. Vicky, the only girl who roomed with Amelia, laid across the countertop that divided the kitchen and the livingroom. She had a sick smile on her face as she was obviously under the influence of something, perhaps a combination of things. She was only 23 and her brown eyes were red and sunken from years of drug abuse, her pale skin was ashen and her black hair was dull. Mark, a 25 year old man that had only moved in 3 months prior, sat on a stool next to Alonzo, a sexist italian immigrant who was 4 years older than Amelia and lacked a green card.
"I can never be too sure, now can i?" He kicks an empty beer can off the coffee table as he stood up. "Little frail Red, I always have to keep an eye on you." He clicked his tongue using a patronizing tone as he got closer to her and the others rewarded him with cruel laughter. "I never know when you might just let morals or shitty empathy screw you up." He walked around the girl raking his eyes slowly across her. He reaches out and snatches her wrist. His skin, tanned from the outdoors, contrasted with her soft pale skin. "Or when you might be too weak to handle it. Poor little thing." Amelia tensed and her fist formed a tight ball but she wouldn't raise her head to make eye contact much to Nick's amusement. The boy leaned down close to Amelia's face; she turns away involuntarily , "Now, what do you think about all that, huh?"
Another round of laughter sounded as she stood in silent humiliation. "Awh, common SweetHeart. Cat got ya tongue?" Vicky's cackle followed her remark.
"Hmmm, that's what i thought" Nick smirked, he was clearly asserting his dominance just for the fun of it. Pulling away from Amelia's face and he walked out of the room. "I'm gonna go catch a dame somewhere, see ya'll later."
Amelia remains in place as he leaves hardly moving aside from a slight flinch as the door slams shut.
"Common Red! You should just lighten up a bit!" Vicky is the first to speak as she flailed her legs in the air kicking her purse to the ground.
"Any lighter and i'm afraid she'd fly away!" Alonzo chuckled.
Mark grinned standing up, "Vick's got a point." He shoved Amelia down on the couch. "Have you ever had a beer, Red?"
"She's seventeen, Mark, just a wittle baby." Vicky laughs.
"I wasn't talking to you!" Mark hollars at the girl making her pout and scuttle off returning with a pair of six packs and a bottle of Everclear alcohol. "Red? I believe i asked you a question."
"Mark, I have stuff to get done..." She began to stand only to be shoved down again, Mark's forearm pinning chest her down.
"That wasn't the question." He grinned slyly, he used his free hand to reach over and grabbed the bottle. "Vick, be a doll and open this for me."
"Mark, get off of me." Amelia's voice had a hint of panic hidden under her facade of calmness. She looked at the others in the room for sympathy, but none was shown. Vicky was crazed with drugs as she unscrewed the cap of the bottle and Alonzo, was sitting back and enjoying the show with his feet up on Mark's now empty stool.
"Chill out, kid, you'll be thanking me in a few minutes." He moved his hand to Amelia's face and squeezed her jaw, forcing it open as he pushed the bottle to her pink lips. Amelia thrashed her body in vain as the man easily held her down. "Common, that's no way to be" He laughed and poured the liquid in her mouth. It burned her tongue and tasted foul making her cough.
Vicky giggles and pinched the girl's nose making her panic. "If ya drink some i let go." She said in a sing song voice. The girl gasped and the strong alcohol burned her throat, she coughed again and it spilled on her shirt.
"Just drink it!" Mark yelled quickly losing his humor as she shook her once. Tears filled Amelia's eyes as she gave in and began to drink from the bottle. Vick let her breath again as she pulled away and giggled as she returned to lounging across the table, but mark didn't let up. "Now was that so hard?" He cooed in her ear still pressing the bottle to her lips.
Alonzo began to laugh and call out, "Chug! Chug! Chug!" as Vicky chimes in. Amelia began to struggle again and Mark pulls the bottle away allowing her to cough and breath.
"Let me go." Amelia's voice was weak and quiet.
"I think ya broke her, Mark." Alonzo laughs.
Mark grinned and took a swig from the bottle himself. "Just wait til that kicks in, Red." Amelia tried to stand again only to be yanked down again. "Come on!" Mark slaps the girl across the face, heat flooding to her cheek instantly as she is knocked to the ground. She jumped to her feet to run but Alonzo pushed her back to Mark who pinned her down on the couch by straddling her beneath him. "You want more? Is that it?" He returns the bottle to her lips. "Have some more!" He yanked her hair with his fist forcing her to obey.
As time passes, Amelia's eyes begin to look glossed over and new bruises could faintly be seen on her face and arms. Her words sound incoherent slurring together. "My head 'urts..." Her attempts to leave are now weak as she tosses her head. "Please... leave me 'lone..."
"Damn, Mark... She looks out of it." Vicky looks at Amelia with a hint of sympathy and tapped the girl's face.
"Yeah, so?" Mark, still atop of the girl, is laying back against the armrest.
"We should get her upstairs before Nick get's back..." Alonzo recommended between puffs on his cheap cigarette.
"Screw Nick! That little punk ain't gonna do nothin'." Mark growled and stood up yanking the small girl with him.
"Ouch!" Amelia wined with tears in her eyes.
Mark shoved her roughly toward the door and yelled, "Shut up already!" as Amelia stumbled into the wall.
Mark pinned Amelia to the wall and, simultaneously, a car door slammed shut. Vicky walked to the window to peek out as the others watched. "Shit, Mark!" She whined and ran up to her bedroom.
Mark let go and too look out the window and Amelia fell to the ground with tears in her soft brown eyes. "Dammit, Alonzo, get her upstairs. Nick's Home. " Mark yelled angrily.
"Oh but I thought Nick was just a little punk, Mark?" Alonzo smirked drinking from the bottle again before ducking into his room across the hall. "Good luck" The lock clicks as Alonzo shuts the door.
Looking for another option Mark grabbed Amelia by the hair dragging her towards the kitchen and just as he was about to shove the whimpering girl behind the counter Nick came in. Nick entered the room and looked around with a faint smile. "Hey! Where did ya'll go?" He chuckles are begins to round the corner in time to see Mark dropping the drunken girl behind the counter in surprise.
"What the hell is this?" Nick's voice slowly becomes louder with anger. Nick made his way over to Mark with a slight hesitation in his steps. His hazel eyes full of anger as he looked down at the girl who weakly layed on the cold tile. "What did you do, you bastard?" Amelia watched as Nick's fist met Mark's jaw.
"Shit, Man, we were just screwing around." Mark stumbled back and looked up surprised.
Nick watched the older male; his eyes were livid with anger. "Get out of my sight, you idiot, before I beat you to a bloody pulp!" Mark glared at him before stumbling out of the kitchen and ran towards his room slamming the door behind him.
'The man was a cheat. Yes he was an example for the Kings and their dominance, but a cheat nonetheless. He borrowed money under false claims and when it came to cough up some loans he bailed. No one bails.' 840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWtXKoBKRs
